Lets Lunch | Best Places to Grab Lunch in Charleston

Table of Contents

Written by Lauren Johnson

Playing tourist have you famished? Downtown Charleston offers a smorgasbord of midday dining options perfect for fueling your afternoon adventures. Here are a few of our favorites…

Linger Over Lunch

Whether for the atmosphere or the eats, these delicious destinations beckon diners to sit and savor.

167 Raw

 This lively New England-style oyster bar celebrates shellfish with a raw bar and classics like lobster rolls and seared scallops. 193 King St.; 167rawoysterbar.com

Felix 

This elegant French brasserie invites patrons to leisurely gather over plates of croquettes, salade, sandwiches, pommes frites, and more. 550 King St.; (843) 203-6297, felixchs.com

Fleet Landing

 At this waterfront restaurant, enjoy Southern seafood staples and fresh views of Charleston Harbor. 186 Concord St.; (843) 722-8100, fleetlanding.net

Magnolias

 Find upscale Southern staples like pimiento cheese and shrimp and grits at this fine dining favorite. 185 East Bay St.; (843) 577-7771, magnoliascharleston.com

Millers All Day

 From loaded home fries to cinnamon roll french toast, scramble up breakfast anytime at this all-day brunch bistro. 120 King St.; (843) 501-7342, millersallday.com

The Watch

The rooftop venue atop the Restoration Hotel serves airy skyline views alongside elevated pub fare. 79 Wentworth St., 7th floor; (843) 518-5115, thewatchcharleston.com

Magnolia's
Magnolias
167 Raw
167 Raw

Quick Bites

Fast service and charming character make these casual eateries ideal for a midday meal.

Bodega

The vibe is fresh here, with NY-style sammies on kaiser or ciabatta, vibrant murals, and roll-up garage doors for an airy feel. 23 Ann St.; (843) 297-4772, eatdrinkbodega.com

Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar

Beyond indulgent desserts, this gourmet cafe offers crave-worthy sandwiches with fresh Italian meats and cheeses on house-made bread. 198 East Bay St.; (843) 722-5893, carmellasdessertbar.com

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. & Taproom

Cheers to house beers on tap, wood-fired pizzas and pub fare, and spacious courtyard seating. 1505 King St.; (843) 718-3224, edmundsoast.com

Gaulart & Maliclet

This quaint bistro pairs très bon soups, salads, baguettes, and cheeses with affordable and delicious house wine. 98 Broad St.; (843) 577-9797, fastandfrenchcharleston.com

Lewis Barbecue

Nab a picnic table on the backyard patio and dive into this award-winning pitmaster’s Central Texas ‘cue. 464 North Nassau St.; (843) 805-9500, lewisbarbecue.com

Rodney Scott’s BBQ

Go whole hog at this unassuming joint that serves up pit-cooked barbecue with classic picnic sides. 1011 King St.; (843) 990-9535, rodneyscottsbbq.com

Carmella's
Carmella's Cafe & Dessert Bar
Rodney Scott's BBQ

In & Out

These grab-and-go counters and markets offer little seating but awesome flavor.

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits

Find hot buttermilk biscuits loaded with pimento cheese, fried eggs, blackberry jam, and the like. 476½ King St.; (843) 737-5159, calliesbiscuits.com

Caviar and Bananas

Inside this epicurean corner market, discover unique salads and sandwiches, as well as yummy gelato. 51 George St.; (843) 577-7757, caviarandbananas.com

Da Toscana Porchetta Shop

Sidle up to the counter for a traditional Italian sammy, made with seasoned, roasted, and thinly sliced pork on fresh focaccia. 109 President St.; dtporchetta.shop

Mercantile & Mash

This food emporium offers soup, salad, and sammy, plus all-day breakfast, sushi rolls, poke, and Buddha bowls. 701 East Bay St.; (843) 793-2636, mercandmash.com

Queen Street Grocery

Beyond corner store goods, this eclectic shop sells crepes, smoothies, and hot pressed sandwiches. 133 Queen St.; (843) 723-4121, queenstreetgrocerycafe.com

The Pass

The lofty sandwiches from this artisan deli and market get piled high with interesting meats and toppings. Gabagool, anyone? 207A St. Philip St.; (854) 444-3960, thepasschs.com

The Pass
Callie's Hot Little Biscuits
Callie's Hot Little Biscuits

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Best Attractions & Things to Do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

https://tourpass.com/charleston/getting-around-charleston-sc/

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore

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